The Latest: Trump wishes Rob Porter well after resignation
[apnews.com]
White House aides huddle before fielding questions about Trump's latest

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the resignation of White House staff secretary Rob Porter (all times local):
1:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he hopes an aide who resigned this week in the wake of domestic abuse allegations has “a great career ahead of him.”
Trump tells reporters at a surprise appearance Friday that former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter did “a very good job while he was in the White House” and adds: “We wish him well.” Porter has been accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives and a former girlfriend. He has denied the charges.

Trump tells reporters he was surprised by the abuse allegations and called the news “very sad.” Trump is also stressing that Porter maintains he is innocent. He says: “I think you have to remember that.”
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1 a.m.
Pressure is mounting on White House chief of staff John Kelly amid questions about his defense of a senior aide he fought to keep in a highly sensitive West Wing job despite accusations of spousal abuse from two ex-wives.

White House staff secretary Rob Porter, a member of President Donald Trump’s inner circle and arguably Kelly’s closest aide, cleaned out his desk on Thursday. But the aftershocks of his resignation continue amid concerns about his access to classified information.

Kelly himself faced criticism for initially defending his aide — only to later shift course after the publication of photos showing one of Porter’s ex-wives with a black eye.

It's anarchy now. Everybody is appalled by what Trump said as if he wasn't garbage from jump street. If people think that there is somehow some measure of decency in that man, then I would say then that's our biggest problem.

Washington (CNN)White House chief of staff John Kelly did not formally tender his resignation to President Donald Trump on Friday, but he did make clear that he would resign if the President wanted him to, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN.
Talk of Kelly's viability as chief of staff reached a fever pitch on Friday afternoon amid intense scrutiny surrounding the handling of domestic abuse allegations against White House staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned Wednesday while denying the allegations against him.
White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley adamantly denied that Kelly had offered to resign in any way.
"He has not offered to resign," Gidley told CNN Friday.

While the source said there was no indication on Friday that Trump would ask Kelly to resign over the matter, another source told CNN's Gloria Borger that Trump has been asking friends and associates over the phone about various potential replacements for the chief of staff position.

WASHINGTON — John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, told officials in the West Wing on Friday that he was willing to step down over his handling of allegations of spousal abuse against Rob Porter, the staff secretary who resigned in disgrace this week over the accusations, according to two officials aware of the discussions.

The officials emphasized that they did not consider a resignation imminent, and that Mr. Kelly — a retired four-star Marine general who early in his tenure often used a threat of quitting as a way to temper President Trump’s behavior — had made no formal offer.

Now would be a good time for the White House to issue some strong statements against intimate partner assault.

QuoteLemon Drop
Now would be a good time for the White House to issue some strong statements against intimate partner assault.

I didn't know pot was legal in your state.

Why yes, it is...recreational pot has been legal since 2012.

But I'm not blowing smoke. This White House has an opportunity to get out front on this issue. I mean obviously not Cheeto Dust, but he should appoint a national task force leader, something like that.

QuoteSteve G.
It should be prominently noted that Trump gave no credence to the TWO wives who accused Porter of brutal abuse.

Victims should always be believed first. Trump, of course, made like the battered wives don't even exist. Trump continues to be a bigot, a moron and a pig of colossal proportions.

I think we should believe whoever's accounts are most credible. In this case, with the police reports that verify bruises that are consistently with the wives' accounts of being abused, I think they clearly are more credible.

Each case is unique. But I do think that in terms of emotional reaction to the person who claims to be the victim that we should take care as to not victimize them again by questioning their character without very solid evidence of some wrongdoing on their part.

QuoteLemon Drop
Now would be a good time for the White House to issue some strong statements against intimate partner assault.

I didn't know pot was legal in your state.

Why yes, it is...recreational pot has been legal since 2012.

But I'm not blowing smoke. This White House has an opportunity to get out front on this issue. I mean obviously not Cheeto Dust, but he should appoint a national task force leader, something like that.